Aalo Atomics Reaches Zero Power Criticality on America’s 250th Fourth of July, Leading the Way for the Nuclear Renaissance to Come.

On America’s semiquincentennial July 4th, in response to President Donald Trump’s “Four by the Fourth” Executive Order 14301, Aalo Atomics has succeeded Antares Nuclear, Valar Atomics, and Deployable Energy in becoming the fourth privately funded advanced reactor developer to reach 0 power criticality.

But what exactly is zero power criticality, and why is this such an important landmark for Aalo Atomics and the industry at large? Nuclear reactors are powered by a chain reaction known as fission: one fission occurs when a uranium atom’s neutrons split the nuclei of other uranium atoms. Zero power criticality is when one fission results in an average of one additional fission. While the chain reaction is self-sustaining, the heat produced by the reactor is negligible. This is perfect for the safe startup, commissioning, and ongoing surveillance of nuclear reactors that is necessary to ultimately bring a reactor online. 

Aalo has trailblazed the nuclear industry by showing that smaller modular reactors, extra modular reactors and microreactors will completely rethink how we use nuclear power. Like The Earthineering Company and Deep Fission, they are one of Capital Factory’s three fission startup portfolio companies. Their rapid progress, boosted by firm federal support, demonstrates the speed at which nuclear companies can reach criticality. This speed sets the bar high for The Earthineering Company to soon achieve our own industry goals too. 

The distinction between Aalo and The Earthineering Company’s objectives demonstrates the range of solutions nuclear renaissance will offer. Aalo’s initial product, the Aalo Pod, is designed to power data centers, and their ultimate goal is to produce electricity for just three cents per kilowatt of electricity. Their objectives compliment the wider nuclear renaissance and therefore diverge from our unique long term vision: to produce process heat for manufacturing, for synthetic fuel, and ultimately, for building the U.S. led lunar base. 

Nuclear energy holds the solutions to so many of today’s challenges and demands. As such, the nuclear renaissance will see nuclear energy be adapted in completely new ways to address these varied and unique challenges. By reaching zero power criticality, Aalo Atomics has given America a dazzling taste of the imminent nuclear renaissance to come.